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Amar'e has 40 off. rebounds (and he's averaging 8.6 total rebounds per game), while Bosh is averaging 7.3 total rebounds per game (and has only 25 off. rebounds in 18 games) .!.

I'm posting 2 great articles I read online today. All I can think about as I read these articles is that FINALLY.... once in the last decade.... I can be thankful for soemthing, when it comes to the NYK and having fortune smile upon this franchise.

THANK GOD we do not have to root for Lebron James! And another double-thanks that we don't have to root for Lebron James & Chris Bosh! Imagine that, and then having Maverick Carter? PLZ! I would prefer another 5 years enduring Eddy Curry injury news!

I'm loving Amar'e. Turiaf. Chandler and Gallo's growth. Felton (even though I got rough on him a while ago). And if we get Carmelo Anthony! YES!!!!!!!

It may have taken a decade.... But I think when we look back, we will pinpoint last summer.... when we were lucky enough to lose the LJ sweepstakes.... That will be the moment we highlight as the turning point, when everything started to go right for our beloved Knicks!

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

King James wants Spoelstra to bow to him

Erik Spoelstra reached out to Mike Brown over the summer and searched for insight into both basketball’s blessing and curse: Coaching the two-time MVP [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

Over and over, Brown uprooted his offensive system to appease James only to have it never work. Brown praised James’ character publicly when he would’ve preferred to have been truthful about James’ narcissism. James defied Brown in public and private, disregarded his play calls to freelance his offense, and belittled him without consequence within the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

Meticulous in his preparation, Spoelstra spoke with several past coaches, and league sources said a clear and unequivocal picture appeared on how to proceed: End the cycle of enabling with James and hold him accountable.
And surprise, surprise: LeBron James has responded with a test of his own organizational strength, pushing to see how far the Heat will bend to his will. This season, James is hearing a word seldom uttered to him in Cleveland:

“No.” And it keeps coming out of the coach’s mouth, keeps getting between the King and what he wants.

Can I stay overnight to party in New Orleans after a preseason game?
Can I play the clown in practice?

Can I get out of playing point guard?

No. No. No.

Wait, what?

No, LeBron.

No.

Even within a month of the season’s sideways 9-8 start, the NBA witnessed a predictable play out of the James-Maverick Carter playbook on Monday
morning. They [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] as jokers of the highest order. They care so little about anyone but themselves. Still, no one’s surprised that they’d stoop so low, so fast into this supposed historic 73-victory season and NBA Finals sweep of the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. They want Spoelstra – and Pat Riley – to bend to them, to bow to the King the way everyone has before them.

Nevertheless, here’s what was surprising – even troubling – when the Heat talked on Monday before a victory over the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]: In the blink of an eye, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] signed up with Team LeBron to scapegoat and sell out Spoelstra.

“I’m not going to say he’s ‘my guy,’ but he’s my coach,” Wade said.
Wade’s always been loyal, and that’s why it was so surprising to witness him bail this fast on Spoelstra, whom Wade knows too well. Spoelstra is a good NBA coach. Everyone knows that Wade isn’t a star who plays hard all the time, knows that he takes plays off on defense. They know that Spoelstra did a terrific job coaching 90 victories out of that flawed Miami roster the previous two seasons.

As much as ever, the Heat need Wade to influence James. Only now, it’s clear James is influencing Wade. With [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] out for the regular season, the locker room misses one of its vital voices. Now, Wade is struggling on the floor and James is the devil on his shoulder, whispering that he doesn’t need to be accountable, that there’s an easy fall guy for everyone: Spoelstra.

Those who know Wade well, who care about him, were disappointed Monday. When Spoelstra needed Wade to stand up for him, Wade never shrunk so small. Spoelstra was Wade’s guy, but Wade’s finding it much easier to align himself with James’ coward act than do the right thing. This was something that you’d expect out of [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], who’s never been a leader, never a winner, but Wade?

“He knows better than this,” one of Wade’s former assistant coaches said. “I’m not saying he hasn’t changed some, but he knows right from wrong. And this is wrong.”

The fundamental problem for Spoelstra isn’t that James doesn’t respect coaches – he doesn’t respect people. Give LeBron this, though: He’s learned to live one way with the television light on, and another with it off. He treats everyone like a servant, because that’s what the system taught him as a teenage prodigy. To James, the coach isn’t there to mold him into the team dynamic. He’s there to serve him.

Wade was one of the Team USA players who’d watch incredulously as James would throw a bowl of fries back at a renowned chef and bark, “They’re cold!” Or throw his sweaty practice jersey across the court and command a team administrator to go pick it up. Everyone wants James to grow out of it, but he’s never showed much of an inclination for self-examination and improvement. And he’s never surrounded himself with people who’d push him to do so.

What’s more, the timing of this leak was no accident, because James and his business manager had to like the idea of someone else going on trial this week. When the public wanted to talk about James’ return to Cleveland, about the callous way with which he left, about the disjointed start in Miami, they thrust everything onto Spoelstra.

Part of them believed they could deflect Hell Week at home in Ohio, and part of them probably believed they could indeed align the public with them against Spoelstra.

After all, the coach had it coming to him. Of this, LeBron James was sure. Spoelstra had the audacity to do something that Mike Brown never had ownership’s backing to do in Cleveland: To push James, call him out, coach him.

The funniest part had to be how they leaked the idea that Eric Spoelstra was panicking now, behaving like he feared for his job. Truth be told, he’s been behaving in the opposite way. Spoelstra isn’t running from LeBron, but running at him.

Someone’s scared here, but it isn’t the coach.

Adrian Wojnarowski is the NBA columnist for Yahoo! Sports.

----------------[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

By [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

You could be sure that it wouldn't take long for <STRIKE>Maverick Carter</STRIKE> unnamed sources to lash back in LeBron James' defense, especially in the wake of the team's disappointing start, and the goofball [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] controversy.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ], <STRIKE>Carter</STRIKE> the source had this to say about Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's relationship with the team:

"He's jumping on them," one source said. "If anything, he's been too tough on them. Everybody knows LeBron is playful and likes to joke around, but Spoelstra told him in front of the whole team that he has to get more serious. The players couldn't believe it. They feel like Spoelstra's not letting them be themselves."

<STRIKE>Carter</STRIKE> The source went on to point out that Spoelstra singled James out during a recent shootaround, telling the Heat star that he couldn't "tell when you're serious."

Now, all this is being tossed out there to make Spoelstra look bad, as he struggles to right Miami's ship, but all this nonsense is doing is making Spoelstra look better. Of course James doesn't take these things as seriously as he should, not when he's setting up parties and appearances in clubs following road games, or taking whole possessions off to float around the perimeter. This sort of criticism, something he never got in Cleveland, is exactly what he needs.

Spoelstra doesn't need help in looking bad. Though the Heat are ranked highly offensively on sheer one-on-one talent alone, Spoelstra is still the guy calling for simplified 1/5 screen-and-rolls -- sometimes two on the same play once the first option doesn't work -- late in close games, coming out of a timeout.

Spoelstra is the guy who was handed three of the best offensive players at their respective positions (statistically last season), and watched as each has regressed significantly within his obvious offensive schemes.

And Spoelstra looks even worse while trying to laugh off BumpGate as something typical, as he did Monday morning:

Spoelstra said he "didn't even notice" the bump until it was mentioned after the game.

"Coming out of the timeout, it's a pinball game. I'm colliding into a lot of people. So it's probably a perfect case of overspeculation from this team," he said Monday.

"I was fine with that timeout. The fact that guys are not happy about the play, tempers rose, you could see the fire and passion in people's eyes. That's the way it should be," he added. "None of us should be happy about what was going on in the third quarter and taking it in stride."

Come on, Erik.

It's fair to say that I've watched a lot of NBA basketball through the years, and have seen my fair share of angry teams skulking back to the bench after a timeout. I never -- NEVER -- see that sort of bump from a player to coach. Is it wrong to get up in arms about it? Sure. Let's not go crazy because a coddled, churlish athlete acted the part. But let's also not pretend that this is a typical or even infrequent occurrence.

Spoelstra is not doing his job when it comes to getting the most out of the players that he's been put in charge of. But he is right to call out Miami's Big Three, each of whom have been the biggest underachievers on this team. Not the point guards, not the big men, and not the coaching staff.

If LeBron doesn't have to dominate the ball offensively, then he needs to go nuts defensively and on the glass. If [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] isn't confident in his shot, or if he should be shooting a particular shot as opposed to James, then he needs to find a way to get to the line, as has long been his custom. And if [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] doesn't even sniff the ball during a play, then he needs to crash the offensive glass, and earn his team extra possessions. None of them are giving extra, when it's obvious that the team is at nearly .500 just because the Big Three are taking turns giving what they gave while all alone in Miami, Toronto and Cleveland. And winning basketball doesn't work this way.

So <STRIKE>Maverick Carter</STRIKE> Chris Broussard's sources can gripe all they want about Spoelstra taking his frustrations out on the superstars, but he's right to question their commitment. There's no reason James should have just two double-figure rebound games, so far. There's no reason Wade should be playing the sort of defense he's playing, and there's no reason Chris Bosh's rebound percentage should have dropped to a mark below the percent he came through with as a 19-year-old rookie.
Keep snivelin', sources. You're going to make a martyr out of Spoelstra yet.

Metro called this way before anyone else...He alluded to the fact that we might be better off without lebron and that we should build a team that could take out Lebron and other EC powerhouses. Everyone was calling his idea silly, but Lebron has two other stars playing alongside him and the Heat are only 1 game ahead of us. Although that might not last, Miami is not a complete team. We're closer to being a complete team then the Heat are. In other words, we're the more balanced team. Its just that they have a great sg and sf but if we can make small improvements, and the Heat fail to make any improvements in the future, we'll be the better team. Fields is gettin better, Gallo is gettin better. Azuibuke is coming back soon, the only area where I would say we are weak is at the center position. Mozgov is very inconsistent at this point of his young career, Turiaf is injury prone.

Well, Miami is no better off then the Knicks after the summers free agency blockbuster signings. In fact looking at the record as it stands, plus the fact that New york has young talent, trade pieces and cap flexibility it's looking like we really did come out smelling like roses.

LeBron, Wade and Bosh will get better together, but it will take some time, it will require sacrafice and some realy smart coaching. I don't blame Spoelstra for going at Lebron, but it's clear that he is limited in his offensive scheme's and game plans. This trio would be doing much better if they had head coach Mike D'antoni working with them. He's the exact type of coach that Lebron needs. Someone as charasmatic and offensively minded as D'ant would really mesh well with these self-important bums and really give them a team concept they could buy into. No one is buying into Spoelstra's game plan and he is not getting anything out of these players. Not saying he is the only one to blame, just saying that with a better coach, that club could be doing much better.

LeBron proved the kind of man(-child) he was when he signed with miami in a public hour long "decision". While the man whom i suspect will subplant him as league MVP Kevin Durant quietly signed a huge extension with his small market OKC thunder. LeBron put off a spectacle that made him public enemy #1. Kobe Bryant now looks like a nice guy compared to James, that's incredible. I am glad that we don't have that huge target on our heads as every team circled their matches with Miami on this years calender.

James seems like more of a prick than I had I thought. Not toosurprising, but some of that stuff is just detestable if it's printed accurately.

James is also disliked by a lot of the media now, though. It's in vogue. And he is an open season target.

So I take a lot of the Lebron James hit pieces with a grain of salt.

It's bull**** too that he is just a singularly incredible player, too, who can't play with others.

He single handedly made the Cavs franchise the past 5+ years, made tons of his teammates relevant on the court, was a *natural* at having point-forward tendencies and being a big time distributor.

That Cavs team was a contender with legit championship hopes pretty much exclusively because of him.

His career has been legendary already, and his play last year (finals aside) was epic and not unfitting GOAT talk.

A selfish player or cancerous teammate doesn't have all the above ring remarkably true.

Reasonable to think we'd be the best team in the league right now if Lebron came, and absolutely stacked for the future. So I don't see it as some total coup that he didn't come...But maybe a blessing in true disguise. And I have no regret that he didn't. He just made a historically terrible decision.

From the outside he really is a prick and his Decision was remarkably pathetic. I want nothing more to see him fail, than for us to win.

We have the chance to build a championship team the next ~year, with the enormous pleasure and satisfaction of having done it the "underdog" way and be able to own LeBitch in the process.

*But we must seize the opportunity or we'll just be trying to nurse our wounds by taking pleasure in another man and team's fail*

It would have been much different for him if he came to NY, IMO. Articles like these wouldn't be happening, to say the least. Ever since Decision Debacle hes been in a uniquely bad, bad position.

Metro called this way before anyone else...He alluded to the fact that we might be better off without lebron and that we should build a team that could take out Lebron and other EC powerhouses. Everyone was calling his idea silly, but Lebron has two other stars playing alongside him and the Heat are only 1 game ahead of us. Although that might not last, Miami is not a complete team. We're closer to being a complete team then the Heat are. In other words, we're the more balanced team. Its just that they have a great sg and sf but if we can make small improvements, and the Heat fail to make any improvements in the future, we'll be the better team. Fields is gettin better, Gallo is gettin better. Azuibuke is coming back soon, the only area where I would say we are weak is at the center position. Mozgov is very inconsistent at this point of his young career, Turiaf is injury prone.

Good point. That's incredibly true. MC's analysis and prediction may end up being the most monumentally correct call in KO history.

I feel things will work itself out in MIA. However, that doesn't mean a title. I honestly feel the BOSH signing will hinder Wade/LJ shot at a championship, b/c that 100 million would be better spent adding a few role pieces that compliment those 2 dynamic wing players (Like Ariza, Felton, Chandler)...

You know... adding depth and al that is better b/c Bosh is not a max contract guy.

ALSO, MIA has no chance against the LAK this year, and not even against BOS if Celtics are healthy.

Most likely, MIA will be a 3,4,5 seed. WIn their first round and gain momentum. Probably even get to Conf finals.

But they better hope there's no lockout next year.

Otherwise, it'll be Sept. 2011 and all the pressure in the word will be on them to win. They'll probably crack under that pressure. And if they don't win by year 3? GULP!

Metro called this way before anyone else...He alluded to the fact that we might be better off without lebron and that we should build a team that could take out Lebron and other EC powerhouses. Everyone was calling his idea silly, but Lebron has two other stars playing alongside him and the Heat are only 1 game ahead of us. Although that might not last, Miami is not a complete team. We're closer to being a complete team then the Heat are. In other words, we're the more balanced team. Its just that they have a great sg and sf but if we can make small improvements, and the Heat fail to make any improvements in the future, we'll be the better team. Fields is gettin better, Gallo is gettin better. Azuibuke is coming back soon, the only area where I would say we are weak is at the center position. Mozgov is very inconsistent at this point of his young career, Turiaf is injury prone.

He wasn't the only one on this board saying it. He and many others (myself included) have been spouting the "build a team the old fashioned way" model since before we moved Jefferies for McGrady.

There were some that agreed with him, but I think he was the first one to say that he didnt want Lebron. I was one of the first ones too, i never liked him to begin with. I've been anti-Lebron since long before it was cool to be, i got a few years under my belt now.

I believe you though, I know there were some supporters of Metro's theory and there were some posters that had similar ideas/thoughts before metro made that thread but the pro-Lebron crowd stood out the most, thats what most of the posters on here were part of. I remember some of these "fake" knicks fans having Lebron in a knicks uniform as there avatar I hope to see that thread get upped, im gonna look for it

There were some that agreed with him, but I think he was the first one to say that he didnt want Lebron. I was one of the first ones too, i never liked him to begin with. I've been anti-Lebron since long before it was cool to be, i got a few years under my belt now.

I believe you though, I know there were some supporters of Metro's theory and there were some posters that had similar ideas/thoughts before metro made that thread but the pro-Lebron crowd stood out the most, thats what most of the posters on here were part of. I remember some of these "fake" knicks fans having Lebron in a knicks uniform as there avatar I hope to see that thread get upped, im gonna look for it

Ha no I hear ya. Metro was prob. the most vocal about it but I recall you, he and I all agreed on the matter.

Don't get me wrong, I would have supported LeBron in NY (I root for the laundry first and foremost)...but I look at a team like the Thunder built entirely through the draft. It takes a while, yes, and there's a little bit of luck (Portland not taking Durant and instead taking Oden) that changes the course of the team.

But I think this is the closest we can come. We are building a team who, every game, they get more comfortable with each other. STAT is a superstar, but he wants to lead, he relishes being in NY and wants to challenge his teammates to grow into a team unit. Within the first month Gallinari looks more like a member of the team than he did last year, constantly talking with STAT.

I remember when Ewing Jr. was trying to make the team he said when he got to the gym every morning, STAT was always there and had been there for a while before him. This is the SUPERSTAR working hard to set an example getting to the gym before ANYBODY. We are a team, a cohesive unit, more than we would have been had we landed the LeBron circus. The way Miami looks now, that is the EXACT reason I didn't want to send Gallo, AR, Chandler, Douglas and picks to the Nuggets just for Melo. We can be a cohesive unit, and THEN add Melo to the mix, another guy who would relish being in NY.

With LeBron we would have been good, no doubt. But this team, with a couple additions, can be great. This Knicks team + Melo > Heat. Easy.

I felt the same way too, If we get Lebron thats cool, i wasnt gonna complain but I preferred that we built our own team too.

And your on point about Melo too, it would be so much better if we can just sign him after this year then trade for him. Melo might not be as good of an athlete as lebron but imo hes a much better basketball player. Hes a better, more skilled scorer. Hes a great shooter, I've seen him play great defense too. He might not pass as well as lebron but thats what we got captain Riverside Ray for.

Metro called this way before anyone else...He alluded to the fact that we might be better off without lebron and that we should build a team that could take out Lebron and other EC powerhouses. Everyone was calling his idea silly, but Lebron has two other stars playing alongside him and the Heat are only 1 game ahead of us. Although that might not last, Miami is not a complete team. We're closer to being a complete team then the Heat are. In other words, we're the more balanced team. Its just that they have a great sg and sf but if we can make small improvements, and the Heat fail to make any improvements in the future, we'll be the better team. Fields is gettin better, Gallo is gettin better. Azuibuke is coming back soon, the only area where I would say we are weak is at the center position. Mozgov is very inconsistent at this point of his young career, Turiaf is injury prone.

i too agreed with metro on that point. as of right now we could beat miami there isnt a doubt in my mind about it. they arent the powerhouse everyone expected them to be. when they go up against a team with smart offensive schemes they kind of falter and fall flat on their faces, they rely to heavily on players past their primes or that have been career role players. i frankly dont see anything about them thats so special. sure they'll figure it out but even when they do other problems will arise( whos team is it?, etc. )

as for lebron **** em he's a bitch wants everything his way and w.e if that was the case he shouldve chosen CLE they were the only team will to do anything to accommodate him, and he left that behind and now he has to adjust to a situation where he doesnt run stuff and its not "his way or the highway" and he cant handle that.

cant wait to knock em out of the playoffs in a battle of the 3-6 teams in the playoffs

Of course I wanted Lebron, but I think I've said multiple times that the one thing that would be better than getting LeBron would be getting Carmelo and then fielding a team that would own LeBron and his bitch ass...of course, this was back when LeBron looked like he was on the way to Chicago...but it holds true now.

If there were ever a superstar who had too big of an ego to be tamed by even Pat Riley...it'd be LeBron.

You will all regret this thread....

Alright where to start here...

I agree like many of you that i watch Lebron wander through the wilderness while his conspired plot with Wade and Bosh blows up in his face. I love how stupid ESPN and hacks like Hollinger and Abbot who worship Lebron and the money he makes them look like when they proclaimed the Heat to be the New World Order of Basketball. I cheered hard for the Celtics a rivals of ours and my other team the Lakers to beat tens tons of crap out of this Mish-Mash of 2.5 Superstars and 12 bench warmers to send a message to the lousy heat bandwagon fans and the lousy city of Miami. I'm glad they are 9-8 and Spoelstra is on the hot seat.

Lebron, Wade, Bosh and Riley deserved this mess after rigging the whole summer freee agency and wasting everybody's time with their WWE style celebration...

And thats where I stop agreeing with most everybody on this thread. Just cause Lebron snubbed us and has said and done some stupid things, does not disqualify his talent or his proven track record of winning. Believe me when i say I am no Lebron Fan (Kobe will always be my favorite player and the Laker's my second favorite team after the Knicks,) but somebody has to keep it real here.

The heat are struggling, but it has more to do with the team dynamic then it has to do with the Lebron's struggles as a player. While many of you basketball heads already know this I'll lay it out anyways

1. Heat got no PG or C who can matchup with anyone on this league
2. Lebron and Wade make each other worse when they are on the court ala Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury, both need the ball to be effective.
3. Bosh is getting manhandled and has no help to get any rebounds.
4. Spoelstra's offense is questionable right now, and so is his ability to command respect from big ego players like the the big 3 he is after all a 3rd year coach.
5. Not to make excuses but they got key injuries to Mike Miller and Haslem, who serve as the Gallo and Turiaf of that team.
6. No Bench

Now imagine Lebron brings his talents to New York. Not only will the Knicks be better but I contend they would be perennial Eastern Conference Contenders battling with Orlando and Boston and heres why...

Chemistry, Chemistry Chemistry

PG Lebron
SG Fields
SF Gallo
PF Amar'e
C Turiaf

6th Man Chandler

1. Pecking Order: Lebron's Team, Amar'e in a familiar Sidekick role

2. Pick N' Roll: Lebron and Amar'e would have been one of the scariest pick n' roll covers in history.

3. Complimentary Pieces: Lebron runs the show at point guard. Fields is one of the best off the ball shooting guards in the game and can slash. Gallo is the 3 point specialist and provides spacing. Amar'e provides a guy to dump it down to, or spot up giving Lebron space to get to the rim. Turiaf like Fields is another great off the ball player who does all the dirty work (sets screens, offensive rebounds and putbacks.) Wilson is the ultimate role player, provides the same versatility of a Lamar Odom possible sixth man of the year candidate.

4. Coaching: D'Anonti's resume (while disputed on here) is good enough and his offense mind lives for dynamic players like Lebron and Amar'e while D'Antoni would probably command more respect out of his star players then Coach Spoelstra.

5. Rebounding: This team is tall despite having a smaller center. Landry fields leads ALL GUARDS in rebounding and Turiaf could hold his own. We would be average but probably better then the heat.

6. Defense: Here we are not a whole lot better than the heat but that leads me to number 7.

7. Cap Flexibility: This team would need defense and rebounding, by freeing up Cap with Eddy's expiring contract we go out and find some depth on the interior to shore up our defense and rebounding.

So in closing ladies and gentlemen of this thread I give to you my argument for why you wouldn't be talking all this junk about Bron if he was on the Knicks leading them to a sixty win season and eventually a title in his second year.